Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Pittville Room - Municipal Offices. View directions

Contact: Rosalind Reeves, Democratic Services Manager 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Councillors Clucas and Hegenbarth

2.

Declarations of interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Minutes of the last meeting pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 10 April 2018

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 April were approved and signed as a correct record.

4.

Public and Member Questions and Petitions pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Minutes:

1.

Question to the Cabinet Member Development and Safety, Councillor Andrew McKinlay

 

I am sure all of Cheltenham and the interested developers would like to see the trial closure of Boots Corner a success.

To assist in convincing ratepayers, clear, evidence based, criteria are essential. The Boots Corner closure proposal was in the main supported and justified by the Cheltenham Transport Plan

Will the Council be utilising the Cheltenham Transport Plan, that measured and forecast the volume of traffic in a selection of residential streets, as a key element in the evaluation of the Boots Closure trial? Or is there other unpublished data that will be used?

 

Response from Cabinet Member

 

The scheme will be assessed through consideration of the following:

 

  • Traffic data on flows and speeds gathered before and during the experiment at around 25 sites across Cheltenham
  • Journey time data on key routes. This will be undertaken at intervals throughout the trial period
  • Town Centre footfall including a count of pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchairs and the use of seating and bike stands
  • A survey of public and business perceptions
  • Data from air quality monitoring sites across Cheltenham
  • (Subject to confirmation) the numbers of passengers using public transport
  • Comments received regarding the scheme.
  • Observations and thoughts of GCC and Amey officers.

 

It should be noted that some of the measures are subject to random factors (for example, air quality monitoring can be heavily influenced by the season and the weather) so we will need to review  several months of data once initial disruption has settled down before reaching valid conclusions.

 

In a supplementary question it was asked why the list of criteria to determine the impact of the extra 75 000 vehicles per week which would be dispersed in to residential areas as a result of this high risk trial was not more accurately specified.

 

In response the Cabinet Member stated that the data collection points would be the same as the original points when the modelling was done. In terms of traffic flows and pollution, sites had already been earmarked and St Paul’s road would be reinstated. A combination of all the activities listed would give a clear idea of the impact of the trial.

 

2.

Question to the Cabinet Member Development and Safety, Councillor Andrew McKinlay

 

The Cheltenham Transport Plan measured and forecast traffic volumes for areas around the Town. These were identified as peak hours of 8-9am and 5-6pm and for the years 2010, 2026 without Boots Corner closure and 2026 with Boots Centre closure.

 

It was on this extensive parametric modelling evidence that the case for the closure of Boots Corner was supported.

 

For the South side of Clarence Square (to and from St Pauls Road) it identified a 'baseline' 2010 ALL DIRECTIONS volume of 582 for 8-9am. It predicts in 2026, with the closure of Boots Corner, 8-9am, a REDUCED number of 419 all directions volume.

 

There is a Council installed traffic counter on the South side of Clarence Square.

The recorded numbers, so far,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Data Protection pdf icon PDF 94 KB

Report of the Cabinet Member Corporate Services

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In the absence of the Cabinet Member Corporate Services the Leader introduced the report and explained that on 25 May 2018 the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and a new Data Protection Act and related legislation came into force. A temporary arrangement had been put in place leading up to this Cabinet decision. The new Data Protection Policy at appendix 2 applied to all users who handled information and personal data held by Cheltenham Borough Council, including personal data of our service users. The policy applied to all employees, Members and processors of personal data held by the Council. It did not apply to Members handling their own data or data as part of their political work.  A process for Members to register was taking place separately to this.

 

RESOLVED THAT

 

1.   the new Data Protection Policy be approved.

2.   Authority be delegated to the Director of Resources and Corporate Projects to vary the existing s101 Share Service arrangement between the Council, Gloucester City Council and One Legal (Tewkesbury Borough Council) to;

-     Include undertaking the statutory function of the Data Protection Officer (DPO) under the Data Protection legislation and;

-     the Council’s Borough Solicitor be designated as the DPO for the Council.

 

6.

Housing Options - Service Relocation pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Report of the Cabinet Member Housing

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member Housing introduced the report and explained that CBH took over the management of the council’s Housing Options Service in December 2013, following approval by Cabinet in June 2013 to transfer the service from the council to CBH. Throughout this period the Housing Options Service had been delivered from Cheltenham First Stop on the High Street. Following the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act in April 2018, Additional Burdens Funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and local Government (MHCLG) had been used to provide additional staffing within the Housing Options Team to support the requirement to provide additional duties/services to households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. This increase in staff, in combination with an estimated increase in the number of households likely to present to the Housing Options Service in housing need, means that it is now necessary to move this service to larger, more suitable accommodation. The proposed move to the municipal officers would support these requirements, by better meeting the team’s back office needs, whilst also providing a larger reception area and more interview room space to households in housing need.

 

The Cabinet Member wished to pay tribute to the work of the housing options team and explained how key its partnership with One Stop and CCP was.

 

In response to a question the Cabinet Member confirmed that whilst the details were being finalised this move meant that there was a single point of contact  in reception for the public for the housing options team.

 

RESOLVED THAT

 

1.    The relocation of the Housing Option Service from Cheltenham First Stop, High Street to the Municipal Offices be approved.

2.    Authority be delegated to the Lead Commissioner – Housing Services, in consultation with Cabinet Member – Housing to approve any further changes to these proposals, should this become necessary in order to meet future customer requirements.

3.    It be noted that the lease to CBH will be granted at a peppercorn rent.

 

 

 

7.

Briefing from Cabinet Members

Minutes:

The Leader informed that the council had received confirmation from House of Fraser that it intended to keep Cavendish House open. This was good news for the town and as this store was an important part of the retail offer the council would offer its assistance in helping the business maintain its presence in the town.

 

The Leader reported that the appointment of representatives to outside bodies would be considered at July Cabinet. Should there be no consensus among the political groups on a particular appointment a report would be taken to the July Council meeting.

 

8.

Cabinet Member Decisions taken since the last meeting

Minutes:

Cabinet Member

Decision

Leader

Appointment to the Gloucestershire Joint Waste Committee

Development and Safety

Acceptance of tender for phase 1 improvement works on High street

Finance

Appointment of council’s borough solicitor as the council’s Data Protection Officer 25 May-12 June to ensure compliance with legislative requirements